White House urges quick approval of homeland bill

President Bush called on Congress Thursday to pass legislation establishing a Homeland Security Department in the lame-duck session, which begins next week.

"The single most important piece of unfinished business on Capitol Hill is to create a unified Department of Homeland Security," Bush said at a White House news conference. "It is important that the Congress sends me a bill that I can sign before the 107th Congress ends."

Bush also urged the lame-duck Congress to pass the terrorism insurance measure that he said would help spur construction projects and create thousands of jobs. While acknowledging that the lame duck, which starts Tuesday when Congress returns, offers little time for action on a wide range of issues, Bush also expressed hope that Congress might also tackle unfinished fiscal 2003 appropriations bills while maintaining "fiscal responsibility."

Bush aides in recent days have noted a lack of enthusiasm from both Republicans and Democrats for significant lame-duck action. "People are either tired or shocked" after the election, a senior aide said. Finishing the appropriations bills would be desirable, a White House official said, but it is "kind of a big plate and there is limited time."

Approving the bankruptcy reform bill also is a possibility, he said. But the official did not appear sanguine about prospects for moving Bush nominations for judgeships during the lame duck because Democrats are vowing strong opposition even if Republicans retake the Senate during the session.

Although a homeland security bill might be more favorable to Bush if passed by Republicans next year, Bush aides have calculated that even a new GOP-controlled Congress is unlikely to act quickly on a revamped bill as old issues would get haggled over once again. And the president, according to aides, is adamant that the legislation needs to be passed quickly.

"Al Qaeda is not in recess," the senior official declared.

The White House continues to back the homeland security measure passed by the House, and will push for the Senate to pass the legislation sponsored by Sens. Zell Miller, D-Ga., and Phil Gramm, R-Texas. Meanwhile, the White House is aggressively courting independent Sen.-designate Dean Barkley, who will replace the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., until GOP Sen.-elect Norm Coleman takes over.

Bush and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card have both telephoned Barkley, and White House policy aides met with him in Minnesota Wednesday. Coleman may begin serving in the lame duck.